Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-07

for nearly two years the sacred lamp was
kept burning and joss.sticks number
less have been consumed. The entrance
10 the church is eminently mercantile
and prosaic. A narrow hall, similar to
that in oil the business buildings down
town, where the deceptive hatchway is
perpetually opening and bundles and
barrels are being raised and lowered,
gives access 10 two flights OF narrow
and steep stairs. At the end OF these is
n small square landing, fronting the
heavy door, lined with wrought iron
and studded with heavy steel nails.
As il in contrast with the formidable
aspect Of the portal, a long vermillion
banner pasted on the wall reads in
firecracker characters
"AH are Welcome 10 Joss"
The door is seldom fastened between
dawn and midnight. As it opens it
rings gong that may be heard through
out the building. Before the door
way is q reception-hall, cool, clean, and
| neatly oil-clothcd. From an adjacent
room comes priest, tall, stout, we'll
fed, and genial. Whether the visitor
be friend or stranger, he receives the
same welcome. From the reception
hall short passage leads to the JOSS
room. This is q large and roomy
apartment, about fifty by twenty-five
feet in dimensions. From the ceiling
hang cut-crystal French chandeliers,
Chinese lamps and lanterns, framed in
scriptions in the primary colors, and
queer carvings and votive decorations.
The walls are covered with scar,
let banners containing quotations
from the great poets, odd pictures illus.
trating life on the Yangtsze-Kiang and
the mythology and folklore of the
Flowery Kingdom. Around the room
is a continuous row of heavily carved
ebony chairs and tables Of the most
massive description. The altar stands
in scarlet recess. 1t is nine feet high,
six wide, and two deep. In general as
pect it is m irregular box, whose open
front is broken into spaces by elabo
rately carved columns. Everything is
gilded so heavily as to resemble solid
metal. The gold is in four colors,
bright yellow, yellowish red, yellowish
green, and bronze gold. AS the eyes
become accustomed to the glare, the
symbolism of the altar becomes appa
rent. The highest ornament is the
sun shining in full eflulgence below il
are the leaves and branches of the forest
typifying the heaven, and groups OF
birds, the old feeding their young anC
the young ones billing and cooling, re
presenting the two highest passions
filial and marital love. Below anc
above all the great dragons which sym
bolize the physical forces Of the uni
verse on every column the serpent Of
evil is trying to ascend, but is forever
crushed by the winged griflins of Joss
Beneath the altar is panel filled Will
crabs, corals, shrimps, and seaweed, t(
indicate the oceans. In a square EN-
brasure painted on the finest satin is
portrait of Joss, tall, handsome, anC
intellectual looking man. On one sid'
of him stands the symbol of war ant
Justice, q fierce soldier armed to tn,
teeth, and on the other that of peac,
and prosperity, q beautiful woman
bearing fruit, flowers, and gold.
GOOD TINE AT JOSS.
In front OF the altar is large table
covered with bronze urns and bowls
glass and porcelain vases, and bunche
of artificial flowers and fruits. Thu
urns are filed with sand, which serve
to support joss sticks that are lighte'
by the devout, and that give the i'm
preston of huge pin-cushion who's
pins and needles are all in combustion
at their heads.
At one of the tables two silent mer
chants are playing dominoes and sip
ping tea with their cigarettes. On
day last month, when | visited tn
church with a party of friends, tn
priest turned to one of the ladies' ant
said:
Chow likee Chinee church ?"
every much, indeed" was her an
swer, "but it seems strange for thos
men to be drinking, smoking, and hay
ing good time here"
"You likee children?" asked the fol
lower of Confucius.
Certainly"
"You likee children to have goo
time and be happy ?"
"Why, of course"
"You likee children to have goo
time in your house or in saloon roun
corner?"
"In my own house.
"Allee samee, joss. You and m
and everybody his children, and b
hkee all his children have good time i
his house in New York alice same
China. You likee cigalette, or cup {
tea or coffee, me velly glad to give thel
, YOU here all the time"
The offer was gracefully declined, br
there seemed to be some force or meal
/ ing in the sentiment.
, A Chinaman enters, hands the prize:
, some little coin, lights handful of jo
, sticks and inserts them in the sand (
= an urn in front of the altar. He the
, stands upon a praying cloth before Il
, urn. bows several times, crosses hin
self, utters some prayer either IN
lence or in an audible tone and depart
This is the Monaghan styleof worship
S quick, business-iike, and economical.
!, The Chinese are not at all exercise
s at their loss. They had insured the
G property, and have already applied Il
e the money and arrangedto build a han
e somer joss house than the one d
t stroyed.
u now A NEW YORKER MAY LOSE HIS Ii
Il ERTY.
a The hands Of the big regulator {
!, the south wall of the Yorkyille Poll
II Court pointed to 1905 o'clock in Il
). morning. The common DRINKS had
/ been disposed OF, and the more serio
= cases were now coming up for examin
8 ton. Justice Patterson leaned back
,. his chair for moment to discuss pc
II tics with Republican friend who hi
IS dropped in to disclose secret of stat
o At this juncture court officer and
q well. dressed man mounted the witne'
is stand. Another man, SO closely reseI
q bling the man on the stand that III
: to look twice to make certain that &
l. one was not shadow of the other, W
5, placed at the bar.
q "Your Honor" said the first man
70 calm, deliberate tones, "this, indie
ie ting the prisoner at the bar, sis n
y brother. He is an habitual drunkar
Z, He has ruined his property and W
Q, certainly drink himself to death If
"a | 10 not restra;nad wish Won won